This disclosure pertains to microlithography performed using a charged particle beam such as an electron beam or ion beam. Microlithography is a key technology used in the manufacture of microelectronic devices such as semiconductor integrated circuits, displays, and the like. More specifically, the disclosure pertains to methods, in the context of charged-particle-beam (CPB) microlithography, for detecting and maintaining orthogonality of the charged particle beam as incident on the lithographic substrate (e.g., semiconductor wafer).
Substantial research and development effort has been expended recently in the development of charged-particle-beam (CPB) microlithography systems (especially electron-beam microlithography systems) capable of producing extremely high pattern-transfer resolution as well as high throughput.
To such end, one system that has been researched extensively in the past is the xe2x80x9cone-shot transferxe2x80x9d system, in which an entire xe2x80x9cdiexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cchipxe2x80x9d (or even multiple dies or chips) is exposed in a single exposure xe2x80x9cshot,xe2x80x9d similar to the usual manner of exposure in optical microlithography. However, a practical one-shot transfer system for use in CPB microlithography has defied realization for several reasons. One reason is that a reticle configured for one-shot exposure using a charged particle beam is extremely difficult to fabricate. Another reason is that it is extremely difficult, with CPB microlithography, to keep aberrations sufficiently corrected over an optical field sufficiently large for exposing an entire die in a single shot. For these reasons, one-shot transfer systems utilizing a charged particle beam currently are deemed impractical, and research interest in such systems has waned.
As a result, substantial interest has been directed to so-called xe2x80x9cdivided-reticlexe2x80x9d CPB microlithography systems that utilize a reticle in which the pattern to be transferred is divided, or xe2x80x9csegmented,xe2x80x9d into a large number of portions, termed xe2x80x9csubfields,xe2x80x9d each defining a respective portion of the pattern. The subfields are exposed sequentially while the respective images of the subfields are formed on the lithographic substrate. Each subfield image is located so that, after exposing all the subfields of the pattern, the individual images collectively form a contiguous image of the pattern for a particular die. Such subfield images are termed xe2x80x9cstitchedxe2x80x9d together. An advantage of performing pattern transfer in this manner is that subfield exposure can be performed while correcting aberrations and other imaging faults in real time for each subfield. Thus, lithographic exposures can be performed with greater resolution, accuracy, and precision across a very wide optical field, including optical fields wider than the one-shot fields exposed in optical microlithography.
One parameter not addressed by conventional CPB microlithography systems is the orthogonality of the charged particle beam as incident at the surface of the lithographic substrate. If the incidence orthogonality (i.e.,normal incidence) of the beam at the surface of the substrate is not maintained, then stitching errors arise between adjacent subfield images on the substrate. These stitching errors, manifest as, e.g., reduced smoothness and integrity of connections between adjacent subfield images, yields correspondingly reduced pattern-transfer accuracy. Many microelectronic devices produced under these conditions exhibit substandard performance and unacceptably high failure rate.
In view of the shortcomings of conventional methods as summarized above, the present invention provides, inter alia, charged-particle-beam (CPB) microlithography methods in which incident-beam orthogonality at the substrate surface is detected and maintained, thereby allowing pattern-transfer to be performed at higher accuracy than conventionally.
According to a first aspect of the invention, methods are provided, in the context of a CPB microlithography method, for determining an incidence orthogonality of the patterned beam on the substrate. In an embodiment of such a method, first and second reticle fiducial marks are placed laterally spaced apart from each other at a reticle plane. A charged particle beam is passed individually through each of the first and second reticle fiducial marks to form respective laterally spaced-apart images of the first and second reticle fiducial marks at each of first and second locations situated near a substrate plane. The first and second locations are separated from each other in an optical-axis direction by a distance xcex94H. A lateral distance L1, L2 between the respective images of the first and second reticle fiducial marks is measured at each of the first and second locations, respectively. The incidence-orthogonality error xcex94xcex8 at the substrate surface is determined by calculating xcex94xcex8=(L1xe2x88x92L2)/2xcex94H for the first and second reticle fiducial marks.
In this method embodiment, the first and second reticle fiducial marks can be located in a subfield situated at the reticle plane. The first and second reticle fiducial marks desirably are located along respective opposing edges of the subfield. The subfield can be situated on a reticle or on a reticle stage, for example.
The first and second reticle fiducial marks desirably are laterally spaced from each other in an X direction, in which instance the respective images formed at each of the first and second locations are separated from each other in the X direction. Furthermore, the step of placing reticle fiducial marks desirably further comprises placing third and fourth reticle fiducial marks laterally spaced from each other in a Y direction at the reticle plane. The step of passing the charged particle beam desirably further comprises passing the charged particle beam individually through each of the third and fourth reticle fiducial marks to form respective laterally spaced-apart images of the third and fourth reticle fiducial marks at each of the first and second locations situated near the substrate plane. The measuring step desirably further comprises measuring a lateral distance L3, L4 between the respective images of the third and fourth reticle fiducial marks at each of the first and second locations, respectively. The determining step desirably further comprises determining an incidence-orthogonality error xcex94xcex8 at the substrate surface by calculating xcex94xcex8=(L3xe2x88x92L4)/2xcex94H for the third and fourth reticle fiducial marks.
Also with respect to this method embodiment, the measuring step desirably comprises placing first and second substrate fiducial marks laterally spaced apart from each other near the substrate plane such that the substrate fiducial marks can be moved to each of the first and second locations. At each of the first and second locations, the respective images of the first and second fiducial marks are scanned over the first and second substrate fiducial marks, respectively. Backscattered electrons produced by scanning the respective images over the first and second substrate fiducial marks are detected.
Another embodiment of a method for determining incidence orthogonality of the patterned beam on the substrate comprises placing a first reticle fiducial mark on a movable body (e.g., reticle stage) located at a reticle plane. The movable body is laterally placeable at each of a first and second laterally displaced position on the reticle plane. A charged particle beam is passed through the first reticle fiducial mark at each of the two laterally displaced positions to form respective laterally spaced-apart images of the first reticle fiducial mark at each of first and second locations situated near a substrate plane. The first and second locations are separated from each other in an optical-axis direction by a distance xcex94H. A lateral distance L1, L2 between the respective first and second images of the first reticle fiducial mark at each of the first and second locations, respectively, is measured. The incidence-orthogonality error xcex94xcex8 at the substrate surface is determined by calculating xcex94xcex8=(L1xe2x88x92L2)/2xcex94H for the first reticle fiducial mark.
The first and second positions desirably are spaced apart laterally from each other in an X direction, in which instance the respective images of the first reticle fiducial mark formed at each of the first and second locations are separated from each other in the X direction. Furthermore, a second fiducial mark can be placed on the movable body, wherein the movable body is laterally placeable at each of a first and a second laterally displaced position in the Y direction on the reticle plane. The charged particle beam is passed through the second reticle fiducial mark at each of the two laterally displaced positions in the Y direction to form respective laterally spaced-apart images of the second reticle fiducial mark at each of the first and second locations situated near the substrate plane. The lateral distance L1, L2 between the first and second images of the second reticle fiducial mark at each of the first and second locations, respectively, is measured. The incidence-orthogonality error (xcex94xcex8) at the substrate surface is determined by calculating xcex94xcex8=(L1xe2x88x92L2)/2xcex94H for the second reticle fiducial mark.
The passing step can further comprise placing a first substrate fiducial mark near the substrate plane such that the first substrate fiducial mark can be moved to each of the first and second locations. At each of the first and second locations, the image of the first fiducial mark is scanned over the first substrate fiducial mark, while detecting backscattered electrons produced by scanning the image over the first substrate fiducial mark.
In another specific embodiment, the passing step can further comprise the steps of: (1) placing the movable body at the first position on the reticle plane, (2) passing the charged particle beam through the reticle fiducial mark at the first position to form a first image of the reticle fiducial mark at the first location, (3) placing the movable body at the second position on the reticle plane, (4) passing the charged particle beam through the reticle fiducial mark at the second position to form a second image of the reticle fiducial mark at the first location, (5) passing the charged particle beam through the reticle fiducial mark at the second position to form a first image of the reticle fiducial mark at the second location, (6) placing the movable body at the first position on the reticle plane, and (7) passing the charged particle beam through the reticle fiducial mark at the first position to form a second image of the reticle fiducial mark at the second location. In this embodiment the determining step can further comprise determining the incidence-orthogonality error (xcex94xcex8) at the substrate surface by calculating xcex94xcex8=(L1xe2x88x92L2)/2xcex94H for the images of the first reticle fiducial mark at each of the first and second locations.
According to another aspect of the invention, CPB microlithography apparatus are provided for transferring a pattern to a substrate from a segmented reticle divided into multiple subfields defining respective portions of the pattern. An embodiment of such an apparatus comprises an illumination-optical system situated and configured to direct a charged-particle illumination beam from a source to individual subfields of the reticle, thereby forming a patterned beam propagating downstream from the reticle while carrying an aerial image of an illuminated subfield of the reticle. The apparatus also includes a projection-optical system situated downstream of the illumination-optical system and configured to direct the patterned beam to a lithographic substrate to form respective images, corresponding to the aerial images, stitched together on the substrate to form a transferred pattern on the substrate. The apparatus also includes a reticle stage, situated downstream of the illumination-optical system, for holding the reticle at a reticle plane during illumination of the subfields by the illumination beam. The apparatus also includes an incidence-orthogonality detector. In this embodiment the incidence-orthogonality detector comprises first and second reticle fiducial marks that are situated on the reticle stage and are laterally spaced apart from each other at the reticle plane. The detector also includes a substrate fiducial mark situated downstream of the projection-optical system near a substrate plane, wherein the substrate fiducial mark is placeable selectively at first and second lateral positions at each of first and second locations situated near the substrate plane. The first and second locations are separated from each other in an optical-axis direction by a distance xcex94H. The detector also includes a deflector situated and configured to deflect respective patterned beams, produced by passage of the illumination beam through the first and second reticle fiducial marks and to scan the patterned beams, carrying respective images of the first and second reticle fiducial marks, on the substrate fiducial mark at the first and second lateral positions, respectively, at each of the first and second locations. The detector also includes a measurement means for measuring the lateral distance L1, L2 between the respective images of the first and second reticle fiducial marks at each of the first and second locations, respectively. The detector also includes a determination means for determining, from L1, L2, and xcex94H, an incidence orthogonality xcex94xcex8 of the patterned beam at the substrate plane, according to an expression xcex94xcex8=(L1xe2x88x92L2)/2xcex94H.
The apparatus embodiment summarized above further can comprise means for making an adjustment to at least one of the projection-optical system and illumination-optical system to make xcex94xcex8=0.
The first and second reticle fiducial marks desirably are located in a subfield situated at the reticle plane. In this instance the first and second reticle fiducial marks desirably are located along respective opposing edges of the subfield. The subfield containing the first and second fiducial marks can be situated on a reticle mounted to the reticle stage.
This apparatus embodiment further can comprise a substrate stage situated downstream of the projection-optical system. The substrate stage defines the substrate plane on which the substrate fiducial mark is situated, and is movable laterally so as to place the substrate fiducial mark selectively at the first and second lateral positions. The substrate stage additionally can be movable in an axial direction so as to place the substrate fiducial mark at each of the first and second locations.
In the apparatus embodiment summarized above, the first and second reticle fiducial marks can be spaced laterally from each other in the X direction, wherein the respective images formed at each of the first and second locations are separated from each other in the X direction. In this configuration the incidence-orthogonality detector further can comprise third and fourth reticle fiducial marks carried by the reticle stage. The third and fourth reticle fiducial marks are spaced laterally from each other in a Y direction at the reticle plane. Also, the illumination-optical system is configured to direct the illumination beam individually through the third and fourth reticle fiducial marks to form respective laterally spaced-apart images of the third and fourth reticle fiducial marks at each of the first and second locations. The measurement means additionally is configured to measure the lateral distance L3, L4 between the respective images of the third and fourth reticle fiducial marks at each of the first and second locations, respectively. The determination means additionally is configured to determine the incidence-orthogonality error xcex94xcex8 at the substrate surface by calculating xcex94xcex8=(L3xe2x88x92L4)/2xcex94H for the third and fourth reticle fiducial marks.
The measurement means desirably comprises a BSE detector situated and configured to detect backscattered electrons from the substrate fiducial mark whenever an image of a reticle fiducial mark is scanned over the substrate fiducial mark.
According to another embodiment of a CPB microlithography apparatus, an illumination-optical system is situated and configured to direct a charged-particle illumination beam from a source to individual subfields of the reticle, thereby forming a patterned beam propagating downstream from the reticle while carrying an aerial image of an illuminated subfield of the reticle. A projection-optical system is situated downstream of the illumination-optical system and configured to direct the patterned beam to a lithographic substrate to form respective images, corresponding to the aerial images, stitched together on the substrate to form a transferred pattern on the substrate. A reticle stage is situated downstream of the illumination-optical system and used for holding the reticle at a reticle plane during illumination of the subfields by the illumination beam. A substrate stage is situated downstream of the projection-optical system and used for holding the substrate at a substrate plane during transfer of respective images of the subfields to corresponding locations on a lithographic substrate. The apparatus includes an incidence-orthogonality detector, comprising a first reticle fiducial mark situated on the reticle stage, wherein the reticle stage is laterally movable so as to place the first reticle fiducial mark selectively at each of first and second laterally displaced positions on the reticle plane. The detector includes a first substrate fiducial mark situated on the substrate stage, wherein the substrate stage is laterally movable so as to place the first substrate fiducial mark selectively at each of first and second laterally displaced positions near the substrate plane. Thus, the first substrate fiducial mark is placeable selectively at first and second locations near the substrate plane but separated from each other in an optical-axis direction by a distance xcex94H. The detector includes a deflector situated and configured to deflect the patterned beam, produced by passage of the illumination beam through the first reticle fiducial mark, and to scan the patterned beam, carrying an aerial image of the first reticle fiducial mark, on the substrate fiducial mark at the first and second lateral positions, respectively, at each of the first and second locations. The detector includes measurement means for measuring a lateral distance L1, L2 between the image of the first reticle fiducial mark at each of the first and second locations, respectively. The detector includes determination means for determining, from L1, L2, and xcex94H, an incidence orthogonality xcex94xcex8 of the patterned beam at the substrate plane, according to an expression xcex94xcex8=(L1xe2x88x92L2)/2xcex94H.
The apparatus further can comprise a means for making an adjustment to at least one of the projection-optical system and illumination-optical system to make xcex94xcex8=0.
The first reticle fiducial mark desirably is located in a subfield situated at the reticle plane. In this instance the subfield containing the first fiducial mark can be situated on a reticle mounted to the reticle stage.
The substrate stage additionally can be movable in the axial direction so as to place the first substrate fiducial mark at each of the first and second locations.
In this embodiment the first and second laterally displaced positions on the reticle plane can be spaced laterally from each other in the X direction. In this configuration the reticle stage is laterally movable in the X direction so as to place the first reticle fiducial mark selectively at each of first and second laterally displaced position on the reticle plane. The respective images formed at each of the first and second locations are separated from each other in the X direction. Further regarding this embodiment, the incidence-orthogonality detector further can comprise a second reticle fiducial mark situated on the reticle stage, wherein the reticle stage is laterally movable in the Y direction so as to place the second reticle fiducial mark selectively at each of third and fourth laterally displaced positions on the reticle plane. The illumination-optical system additionally can be configured to direct the illumination beam through the second reticle fiducial mark at each of the third and fourth positions to form respective laterally spaced-apart images of the second reticle fiducial mark at each of the first and second locations. The measurement means additionally is configured to measure a lateral distance L3, L4 between the respective images of the second reticle fiducial mark at each of the third and fourth positions at each of the first and second locations, respectively. The determination means additionally is configured to determine an incidence-orthogonality error xcex94xcex8 at the substrate surface by calculating xcex94xcex8=(L3xe2x88x92L4)/2xcex94H for the third and fourth reticle fiducial marks.
The measurement means can comprise a BSE detector situated and configured to detect backscattered electrons from the substrate fiducial mark whenever an image of a reticle fiducial mark is scanned over the substrate fiducial mark.
The foregoing and additional features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.